How often to wash your shower curtain and liner

Is your shower curtain — or the liner — so nasty you avoid touching it? Do guests mistake the mold for polka dots? Then it’s time to give that bathroom staple a good bath.

We asked handyman Bob Vila as well as Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, to share their tips for cleaning a shower curtain and liner. It’s so easy, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.

Yes! Washing your shower curtains prevents mildew. Your shower curtains can also get stained, so they should be routinely washed, especially if you have a lighter-colored curtain.

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Mock says you should be washing your shower curtain/liner at least once per month to keep it mildew-free. She also suggests having two curtains so you can rotate them out while one is being washed.

According to the experts, the following instructions work for most nylon, polyester, cotton and vinyl shower curtains:

Note: If the curtain is plastic, you don't have to run it through the spin cycle either. It’s ready to hang in the bathroom right after it rinses.

"Washing a plastic shower curtain requires you to add either a 1/2 cup of color-safe bleach, detergent, vinegar or baking soda to your washing cycle, along with a few towels on a cool setting," says Mock. "If you are specifically looking to kill mold spores or remove mildew, we highly recommend bleach as your washing product choice. After washing, simply hang your plastic curtain back up to dry."

Here are a few other things to remember while machine washing a plastic curtain:

Make sure not to mix cleaning solutions, as mixing them can cause toxic fumes.

Also, Mock advises that it's best to machine-wash the curtain/liner with a towel or two, which helps to balance the load and can also rub against the liner to help remove dirt and debris.

Yes. You should plan to machine-wash your shower curtain about once a month to keep it mildew-free. Be sure to double check the care tag on your curtain to make sure you clean it properly.

While our experts suggest washing your curtain/liner about once a month, there are definitely some things you can do so that you can wait longer between washings.

TODAY.com spoke to experts about the best practices for cleaning your shower curtains and liners. Based on the guidance they provided, we found affordable and fan-favorite products to help you get the job done.